


be as you’ve always been

by mrsonmyr



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Minor Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, Minor Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish, everyone’s old now and has kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 21:30:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20316310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrsonmyr/pseuds/mrsonmyr
Summary: “Should we get out of here?” He asks, almost a whisper into her ear.“When’s the last time we’ve done this? High school?” Their faces are close now. The bar is crowded but no one is that closely pressed together.“I think senior year in your Dad’s barn.”or childhood friends meet again at a bar one night





	be as you’ve always been

* * *

The warm lighting of the bar gives it a welcoming vibe but the crowd makes it feel claustrophobic. Why did Rory’s friends have to drag her to the most popular bar in town? Technically, they’d tell her that it’s not a popular bar it’s an _ underground _ bar that they found on instagram -- which just means they’re still paying for overpriced drinks while being shoved out of a photo opt of a young blonde who has 12000 followers online. She’s sitting at the bar listening to her friends talk about how Joanna had just broken up with her boyfriend and is needing a new place to live -- _ Rory don’t you know someone who’s looking for a roommate? _\-- they ask her even though she hasn’t really been paying attention. She’s counting down the hours until it’s socially acceptable for her to go home, change into a pair of old sweats, and watch an ungodly amount of netflix while ignoring her phone. 

“I think Mason just moved out of Sabrina’s place.” She tells them while looking over the bar menu that’s written on the back of floppy disk. Where the fuck was she?

“That’s on the East End, that wouldn’t work for her.” Tabitha, the newest member of this group that she someone how bunched in with, says. 

A couple singing a terrible rendition of Islands in the Stream steals Rory’s attention, she isn’t drunk enough to go up and join but a few more drinks and she would have a song at the ready. Her friends are still talking about Joanna or Joan or someone who’s looking for a new place, _ good luck _, Rory thinks. She’s lived in the same place for the past four years because of rent in New York. She notices that the girl singing the Dolly Parton part has the exact same shirt as Rory, what are the odds? Or maybe it just looks the same, she doesn’t have her glasses on but she’s too focused on the trainwreck that is this duet to turn and ask one of her friends. Someone taps on her shoulder and she turns to ask whoever it is if she has the same shirt as the karaoke princess. 

“Snorey Rory? Is it really you?” A man, with an eerily familiar face, asks. He’s tall, lean, his glasses says he’s educated but his outfit says he’s here for a good time, not a long time.

Rory rolls her eyes and a grin on her face appears that either says _ I can’t believe you’re here _ or _ this fucking guy. _“I thought you were overseas?” She says over the loud music. 

“Uruguay actually. I was working with a group who were planting trees in their forests. We reached our goal so here I am. Haven’t seen you since, not last Christmas?” He sits in the empty bar stool next to her.

“No, weren’t you in Italy with your Italian nurse girlfriend?” She takes a sip of her expensive cocktail, and glances quickly over his shoulder to watch the karaoke couple leave the stage. 

“She’s French, and we were in London. Ines and I broke up.” 

“Sorry to hear that.” 

“It’s fine. She’s probably too good for me anyway, saving French lives. We can’t all be saints.” His dark eyebrows raise at her. 

“You’re planting trees. That must be saintly.”

“You would know, wouldn’t you? Still attending mass?”

“No, I stopped going years ago.” 

He smiles at her, taking a sip of his Modelo. “Tell me, Rory, what are you doing now? You’re in New York City, you’re in your prime.”

“26 is my prime?” 

“I hope so, soon we’ll be 30 and it’ll feel like our worlds are over.” 

Rory laughs at that, her friend sitting on her other side notices that she’s talking to a stranger. She gives him an eye, taking him in, and decides he’s good enough for Rory and turns back to her friends. “I’m working in broadcasting right now. I’m producing radio shows.” 

“Good for you, my mom was telling me about that. How are your dads?” 

“They’re good. I was just down for Dad’s birthday, I’ll be going back for Thanksgiving. How are your parents?”

“Oh, they’re good. Keeping busy. Mom was happy that I was travelling for a while, she said I needed to clear my head.” He bumps his knees against hers.

“Did you clear it?” His knee was still pushing into hers, neither one bothering to move their legs. 

He presses his lips together, genuinely thinking about it. “I think so.” He sets his beer down on the bar top. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Why are you here?” She asks, realizing the odds of seeing a childhood friend in some random hipster bar in Brooklyn. 

“One of my friends wanted to go out. I guess he knows the owner.”

Rory nods. Of course his friend knows the owner. 

“Should we get out of here?” He asks, almost a whisper into her ear.

“When’s the last time we’ve done this? High school?” Their faces are close now. The bar is crowded but no one is that closely pressed together. 

“I think senior year in your Dad’s barn.” He thinks back, smiling at the memory. 

He pulls his wallet out and slips a few bills on the bar, enough to cover both of their drinks, while she turns back to her friends and tells them she has to go. They all know where when they see her rush out holding the hand of a random stranger. 

-

Rory wakes up the next morning with her back feeling slick. The AC in her building is broken and she’s not used to having a strong arm resting on her back when she sleeps. She rolls over and he’s gone but she can hear him in the kitchen talking on the phone. She sits up and rubs at her face, her fingers are smudged with mascara. She kicks off her covers and gets out of bed, looking for a pair of pants. Unable to find any she realizes her sleep shirt is long enough to cover as a dress, she walks to find him in the kitchen. He’s already dressed in his same outfit from last night, expensive looking jeans and a tight button up. Like he bought it knowing how tight it was. 

“I’ll ask her, alright. Bye Dad.” He hangs up his cellphone, slipping it into his back pocket. “Good morning, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“You didn’t.” She says sitting at the counter. “Who was on the phone?”

“My dad. We’re celebrating Mimi’s 80th birthday next weekend, he wants you to know that you’re invited if you’d like to attend.” 

“In DC?” 

He nods. “Nothing says happy birthday like a ton of old politicians and hiding your liberal views. You in? I’m sure my mom would kill for a sane person to be there.” 

“I guess. I haven’t been to DC in a while.” She shrugs, knowing that her weekends are intentionally not booked up by social events so she can sleep through them. 

“Great, I’ll let my dad know.” He leans against the counter, taking her hand in his. “You know, you don’t snore anymore. I might have to find a new nickname.” 

“I never snored, I don’t know why you called me Snorey Rory for twenty years.” 

-

“Where were you last night?” Adam asks into the phone. 

“I was out with a few friends at a bar.” 

“Did you have fun? We didn’t hear from you.” He tried to talk to his daughter everyday, sometimes every other if she was busy with work. After the third time he went to voicemail last night he gave up. 

“Yeah, it was alright. I ran into someone I knew so I left early.” 

“Oh? Someone from school?” 

“No, just someone I know. Anyway, dad, I’ve got to go. I’m meeting someone for coffee. I’ll call you and dad later tonight.” 

“Is it the same someone from the bar?” 

“Dad, I have to go. I’ll call you later. Love you.” 

“Love you too.” Adam hangs up and sees Ronan is sitting on the back deck in the sun. He opens the back door and sits next to him. 

“Who was that?” 

“Rory.” 

“That was quick.” Ronan looks over at him. 

“Yeah, she has some coffee date. She said she’d call us later.” 

“Coffee _ date _?” Ronan’s eyes narrow when he hears that. 

“Don’t get mad at me, you said she was allowed to date once she turned twenty. If you don’t want to hear about her dates then you should have put the age limit to fifty.” 

-

Mrs. Richard Gansey II 80th birthday is a large event. Catered to the gods, it feels like every republican politician is here to make an appearance. Blue Sargent looks like she’s in hell, standing in the corner avoiding all possible human contact except for her immediate family who have been instructed to bring her drinks and finger sandwiches. 

“I can’t believe some of these people are still alive. Can’t they die and we can finally change the laws?” Rory whispers as she’s lead into the huge DC mansions backyard. 

“Stop, if my mom hears that she might actually have a decent time.” He tells her. He spot’s his father talking to a family friend who Rory just assumes from his outfit is very rich. “Let’s say hi.” 

Gansey smiles when he sees his son approaching and holding Rory’s hand. “Hello son. Hi sweetheart.” He hugs Rory. 

“Thanks for inviting me.” She says into the hug. 

“Please, you’re family. Have you seen Blue yet?” 

“No, we just got here.” 

“She’ll be thrilled when she sees you. She hates these things.” Gansey plucks a glass of champagne from a tray passing by him. “Try to have fun today.” 

Blue was undoubtedly happy when she saw Rory. “What, your father’s couldn’t bother showing up so they send you?” 

“Dad thought I should invite her.” 

“I’m glad you’re here. I’d go insane if I had to hear another man talk about what it’s like living as a straight white male _ now _.” Blue says taking another drink of her champagne. 

“Where’s Mimi?” He asks, looking through the crowd for his grandmother. 

“Aunt Helen was with her when they arrived. I’m not sure where they ran off too. Go say hi and then bring Rory back, I don’t want to be out here alone.” 

“You could come inside and talk to people.” He suggested to his mother.

“You haven’t been to as many of these as I have. I will explode if I have to have another real conversation.” 

  


Mimi was sitting inside surrounded by people and bouquets of flowers. She smiled when she looked up and saw her grandson. “Hello, dear. You look more and more like your father.” She said as he bent down to kiss her cheek.

“Happy birthday Mimi. You remember Aurora? Her dads are friends with mom and dad.” 

Rory reaches out to shake his grandmother’s hand, glancing down at the large jewels on her fingers. “Happy birthday. It’s a lovely party.” 

“Thank you, dear. You two look very good together. You must be so happy.” 

They haven’t really discussed their impending relationship. Rory didn’t even know if she could call it that, they’ve just spent the last few nights at her place and then go out for coffee or brunch in the morning. Clearly he didn’t want to tell his 80 year old grandmother that. 

“Yes. Thank you.” He smiles down at her. “I’m going to introduce her to a few more people, we’ll see you around.” He takes her hand and begins to lead her out of the room when someone stops him and grabs his free hand. 

“Richard, how are you boy. I haven’t seen you since you were just a lad.” A man in a red tie says to him. 

“Hello, Mr. Lang. I’m very well thank you.” He gives a firm handshake. “Mr. Lang, this is Rory.” 

“Hello, dear. What a lovely couple you two make.” He says as he shakes her hand. She smiles back at him. 

Once they were out of earshot of the other guests, Rory turns and says “I didn’t realize that I was brought as a date.”

“You weren’t, I just didn’t want to have to explain to my parents and grandparents that we’re not dating and only just sleeping together.” 

“How thoughtful of you.” 

“Look, I’m sorry. Can we not do this now? I too realize that whatever _ this _is is more than just a few hookups here and there. But I really don’t want to do this at my Mimi’s party. Mainly because I don’t want to think about sex and then look over and see some old politician.” 

“Fair point.” She takes his hand again, holding his fingers. 

“Let’s stay for another hour and then we can leave. My mom would cover for us.” He places a kiss on her forehead. 

-

Rory decided to leave the name of her new boyfriend out when she told her dads that he would be joining them for Thanksgiving. The looks on their faces said it all when their best friends son walked into their home holding their daughters hand. Adam looked surprised -- like if he was watching a magician’s act. Ronan’s jaw set and Rory could hear the phone call he made after dinner yelling at Gansey asking him how long he’s known this was going on for. 

“I knew this would happen.” Adam said as he dried the dishes Ronan was washing. “I should have put money on it.” 

“Don’t gamble about our kids life.”

“Why aren’t you happy for them? Rich’s a good kid. He would be good for Rory.” 

“It’s not _ him _ I’m worried about,” Ronan said reaching into the soapy sink to pull out another dish, “it’s Gansey. He already said on the phone that if they got married we would be in laws. I can’t be any closer to Gansey than I already am.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. They just started dating.” Adam set the damp towel down and kissed his husband. 

-

In the end Aurora Parrish-Lynch marries Richard Gansey Sargent (the first). 


End file.
